1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to refrigerators, and more particularly, to a cover assembly for covering a machinery chamber of a refrigerator.
2. Background of the Related Art
The refrigerator is used for long term fresh storage of food. The refrigerator has food storage chambers, maintained in a low temperature state by a refrigerating cycle for maintaining the food in a fresh state.
Recently, besides above traditional function of the refrigerator, refrigerators having additive functions are developed. As a typical example, a refrigerator having a dispenser is developed for dispensing water or ice to a user without opening a door on the refrigerator.
However, the refrigerator having the dispenser is required to have water supplied thereto from an outside of the refrigerator. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the refrigerator having the dispenser is provided with a waver valve 20 in a machinery chamber, to which hoses connected to a water supply source and the dispenser (not shown) are connected.
The machinery chamber, in a lower portion of rear of a cabinet 10 of the refrigerator, has a compressor (not shown), a condenser (not shown), the water valve 20, and the like provided therein.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the water valve 20 has a first hose 30 connected to an external water supply source. The water valve 20 is also connected to a second hose (not shown) connected to the dispenser (not shown).
Therefore, it is convenient such that the refrigerator can have the water supplied thereto through the first hose 30 continuously, and the user can be supplied with cold water or ice through the dispenser (not shown).
In the foregoing refrigerator, the machinery chamber is in general covered with a cover 40. Therefore, in order to connect/disconnect the first hose 30 to/from the water valve 20, it is required to remove the cover 40 from the cabinet 10, or put the cover 40 on the cabinet 10 again, after service is finished. Therefore, the service is not convenient.
For solving the problem, a structure may be suggested in which the water valve itself is exposed to an outside of the machinery chamber. However, in this case, the valve is liable to suffer from damage when the refrigerator is moved or transported.